


Between a precipice and an edge

by copperplate



Series: Once we go on ahead [4]
Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: F/M, Gangsey reunion, Gansey aint quite right, M/M, Multi, Post TRC, Sarchengsey smut, pynch - Freeform, raven cycle spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-21
Updated: 2016-08-21
Packaged: 2018-08-10 04:10:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7829911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/copperplate/pseuds/copperplate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gansey suddenly froze. The scene before him shook him. He had seen this. He had lived this. No, he hadn't, he couldn't have. But he had. The world tilted.<br/>***<br/>The gang reunites over the Christmas holidays in New York. However, Gansey may be suffering some side effects of his resurrection.<br/>Takes place before Gifted with Little Time.<br/>Each chapter is from a different character's perspective.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ronan - Finding Parking

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta'd. Errors are my own.

Gansey was waiting on the street corner for the BMW. He was alone, his hands in the pockets of his dark grey coat, a puff of condensed air escaping from his lips. He looked cold but happy.

Ronan pulled the car up next to him. He rolled down the passenger window and Adam wordlessly offered Gansey his fist. Gansey laughed and knocked their knuckles together.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes, sweet cheeks," Ronan drawled.

"I dressed up pretty just for you, babe," Gansey replied with a wink.

"You wanna get out while I find parking?" Ronan asked Adam.

"You might just want to suck up the fifty dollars and park in a garage," Gansey recommended. "Finding street parking in Harlem is harder than finding dead Welsh kings."

Ronan flashed Gansey a wicked grin. "Challenge accepted. Parrish, make yourself useful and take our bags inside."

Adam rolled his eyes but got out of the car and grabbed his duffel and Ronan's small suitcase from the trunk. Ronan watched as Gansey wrapped an arm around Adam's shoulders and led him inside their hostel. Ronan caught a glimpse of himself in the rear-view mirror and saw the large smile splitting his face. Catching himself smiling was something that had been happening more and more frequently, and Ronan still wasn't sure how he felt about it.

It took Ronan literally twenty five minutes (and an obscene amount of cussing) to find a parking spot. He was certain he would find the BMW's windows broken the following morning with the radio stolen. Gansey had assured Ronan Harlem had been gentrified over the last decade, but he wasn't convinced based on the graffiti, litter, and the homeless man a block away yelling at his own shadow.

When Ronan walked through the hostel doors, he was immediately rammed by a five foot tall ball of feminist fury.

"The fuck, Maggot?" Ronan gasped as Blue's wiry arms tightly wrapped around him, but there was only affection in his voice. Before he knew it, he was hugging her back.

"Asshole, what took you so long?" Blue complained, pulling away to look up at Ronan.

"I take it you were too stubborn to just park in the garage," Gansey guessed. Blue stepped away to allow the old friends their proper greeting. They embraced each other, Gansey clapping Ronan on the back.

"Oh? Ronan hugs? Sounds fun!" This came from Henry, who appeared out of nowhere to wrap his arms around Gansey and Ronan's locked bodies.

"Get the fuck off me, Cheng," Ronan growled, but with only a fraction of his usual venom.

"Nope," Henry replied, taking advantage of the fact the Ronan's arms were occupied around Gansey to nuggie Ronan's head.

Ronan almost knocked Gansey over to swing a fist at Henry, but Henry hopped away with a giggle before the blow could land.

Ronan swore at Cheng before his eyes found Adam, standing next to the check-in counter with their bags by his feet, and amused quirk to his mouth.

"We were  just telling Adam about New Hampshire," Blue explained and Ronan joined Adam at the desk.

"I got our keys already," Adam said. Ronan was surprised that the keys were literal metal keys. He had assumed every hotel used key cards these days.

"We have a lot to catch up on," Gansey said, wrapping an arm around Blue's waist. "Henry made dinner reservations for us. Why don't you two unpack and stretch your legs and we can meet in the lobby in an hour. Our room is right next to yours if you need anything."

"It better not be someplace weird," Ronan shot at Henry. Henry theatrically held a hand over his heart, his face wearing an expression of utmost hurt.

Ronan snuck a glance at Adam and found a worried look in his eyes. He knew Adam didn't care about weird. But Adam always cared about expensive. Ronan was hoping that after spending so much time with Blue, Henry would be conscientious of budget.

"Don't worry, Lynch," Blue chirped in, as if reading Ronan's mind. "I pre-approve all his decisions. Especially after he tried to kill us with that hot pot place."

"Ugh, white people," Henry sighed melodramatically. "Can't handle spicy food."

With a shrug, Ronan picked up his bag from Adam's feet and nodded to Adam to lead the way to their room on the second floor. Henry, Blue, and Gansey followed them up the stairs. They parted on the landing, and Ronan watched patiently as Adam unlocked their room door.

Ronan hadn't told Adam he had paid a bit extra for them to have a private room in the hostel. He hoped the fact there were two beds would keep Adam from being too suspicious. They still had to share a common bathroom with the trio next door and any other residents on their floor, but at least Ronan had ensured enough privacy that he could neck his boyfriend without traumatizing Gansey's prissy sensibilities.

Speaking of necking, Ronan was thoroughly opposed to the fact that Adam was still fully clothed considering their dinner plans were not for another hour.

Ronan threw his coat onto a hanger on the back for the door, kicked off his boots, and plopped himself onto one of the beds, leaning back on his elbows and straining the fabric of his shirt across his biceps.

"Hey, come here."

Adam looked up from where he was already crouched and unpacking his duffle bag. Ronan's black long-sleeved shirt was slightly riding up, revealing a strip of pale skin above his waistline.

Ronan had done this on purpose. And he smirked when he saw Adam's eyes flash quickly to the strip of exposed skin and then to how the shirt stretched pleasantly tight across Ronan's chest.

"Are you trying to seduce me?" Adam asked as he stood up and walked slowly to the bed. For answer, Ronan grabbed Adam's arm and yanked him onto the bed, pinning Adam beneath his body.

"We're going out soon," Adam protested half-heartedly. Ronan pressed his lips to Adam and felt Adam melt beneath him. Ronan brushed his fingers through Adam's hair. It had grown out a bit since the last time he had seen Adam, but Ronan did not complain. He liked the way it fell unevenly onto Adam's face. Ronan stared at Adam as his fingers mussed through the silky strands. He was subconsciously counting freckles again.

"Ronan?" Adam whispered his name. Ronan blinked. Adam was blushing and looking a bit self-conscious.

"I thought you were used to the staring by now," Ronan teased.

"I thought you had memorized my face by now," Adam countered.

Ronan nuzzled his nose into Adam's neck. With greedy fingers, he pulled down Adam's collar and started sucking on the skin there. Adam gasped, his hands coming up to cling to Ronan's back.

As Ronan was attempting to leave a lovely purple bruise on Adam's collar bone, there was a desperate knock on the door.

"FUCK OFF!" Ronan yelled. Adam laughed.

"Guys, this is serious!"

It was Henry.

"Running out of hair gel is not fucking serious!" Ronan yelled back. Adam stuffed a hand in his mouth to stifle his giggles.

"It's Gansey, you assholes! Something's not right."


	2. Gansey - I'm fine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbeta'd. Errors are my own.

Gansey closed the bedroom door behind Blue and Henry. The sleeping arrangements were not ideal as the hostel provided them a room with two bunk beds. Henry had thought of pushing the bunk beds together, but that was a bust once they saw that the beds were bolted to the floor. Henry's response to this was naturally, "Fine, but I want to top," and he quickly claimed the top bunk closest to the window. Blue subsequently claimed the other top bunk and they instantly started throwing pillows at each other from across the small room.

Gansey decided to bunk beneath Henry for the sole reason that tiny Blue had a tiny bladder and was more prone to waking up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and he didn't want her feeling bad for disturbing anyone sleeping beneath her. This is in turn meant that the bottom bunk under Blue was the official "cuddle station". While they had been waiting for Adam and Ronan to arrive, they had all piled under one blanket with their backs to the wall and legs all entwined watching episodes of Mythbusters on Henry's laptop.

"Soooooo," Henry said cautiously as Blue pulled her bag out to look for a new outfit for dinner. "Can't really tell if Ronan still hates me or not."

"He doesn't hate you," Gansey reassured. Henry looked at him skeptically.

"Ronan has three categories for people," Blue explained lifting three fingers. "The first is 'fucking die', which are his sentiments for the majority of the human race." Gansey shook his head disapprovingly at this but didn't comment. "The second," she continued, "is 'fine, you can live', which is where the three of us all exist. And the third is simply 'Adam Parrish'. So unless you want an upgrade to the category where Ronan wants to bone you, I think you're good."

Henry smiled, but there was still something sad lurking behind his expression, as if he still had doubts. Gansey knew Henry's need to be liked was an overpowering one; he knew this because it was an aspect of Henry's personality that he shared. Gansey was also certain Ronan did not hate Henry, no matter how different they were or how much they bickered. He just didn't know how to convince Henry of this without Ronan having to buy Henry matching BFF t-shirts (which would never happen).

Gansey reached up with his right hand and curled his fingers around Henry's cheek. Henry leaned into Gansey's touch, his eyes fluttering closed as he released a contented sigh. Gansey felt his heart constrict, too full of emotion to beat properly. He felt his face slowly leaning into Henry, their breaths mingling but lips not quite in contact yet. Blue enclosed her arms around Henry from his back, her eyes meeting Gansey's with a hungry glint before her lips latched onto Henry's neck. Gansey felt Henry shudder through his hand still cupping his cheek.

Gansey suddenly froze. The scene before him shook him. He had seen this. He had lived this. No, he hadn't, he couldn't have. But he had. The world tilted.

Gansey stumbled backwards, both his hands pressing into his temples, his eyes closed tight. Henry lunged after him, grabbing Gansey's arm before he could fall to his knees.

"Gansey?" Blue gasped rushing to take his other arm.

"I'm - I'm okay," Gansey stuttered, getting his feet back under him. He could feel his heart beating too fast in his chest.

"What just happened?" Henry asked, looking between Gansey and Blue nervously. Blue shrugged in response, her worried eyes on Gansey's face.

Gansey took a deep breath and dropped his hands to his sides. "Seriously, I'm okay now," he said, but the way Henry and Blue were looking at him told him they didn't believe him.

Gansey knew he should tell them the truth. These moments of déjà vu have been happening more and more frequently. He had been catching glimpses of the past and future in the tiniest of gestures, in the meaningless of moments. Strangely, in the back of his head, he could hear Noah's voice say, "Time is circular." What he didn't realize was that he echoed the words out loud, causing Blue and Henry to share a troubled look.

"Is it...Cabeswater?" Blue asked hesitantly.

Henry merely bit his lower lip before saying, "I'm going to get the Magicians."

"No," Gansey said, his voice weary and tired. "That is not necessary."

"Sorry, Richardman, but I think it is," and with that, Henry was out the door.

If Gansey hadn't learned manners, he would have cussed under his breath. He did not want a big deal to be made out of this. He did not feel it was warranted. But Blue still looked at him full of concern and he still swayed slightly on his feet.

"Jane," he whispered. She let him wrap his arm around her shoulders, for both comfort and support. "This was how I knew."

"What?" she asked.

"About Henry. And us. I saw this. In Florida."

"What?"

"I saw us. Here. With him. When we first talked about it. In Florida."

Blue looked at him utterly confused. Slowly, her features went from pitying to shock.

"You saying you're having visions?" she asked in a hushed voice.

Gansey shook his head.

"I thought I was just imagining. Fantasizing. Like with Glendower. I always imagined the day I'd find him. And when that day came, when it happened, it was just like I had imagined it. It felt _right_. Like destiny."

Gansey looked into Blue's eyes, hoping she would understand. How could a psychic's daughter not understand destiny?

"When we were talking about Henry at the theme park. When you were talking about making out with him. I...imagined it." A faint blush touched Gansey's cheeks. "I thought about us and him. And I imagined what just happened. In this very room. Me, touching his cheek from the front, about to kiss him. You, kissing his neck from behind. And it happened. Like Glendower happened. Like how my death happened."

At this, Blue flinched.

"Like when I thought about the first and only time I'd get to kiss you," Gansey continued, his eyes intensely piercing into hers. "It happened like I imagined it. Exactly. And I then I died. Like I imagined I would."

Gansey could see tears on the rims of her eyes, but she would not let them spill over.

"Why didn't you say anything?" she asked.

"I didn't think anything of it," he said with a sheepish grin. She give him an incredulous look. "I had more pressing things on my mind," he elaborated with a shrug. "Finding Glendower. Ronan being unmade. Adam being possessed. Dying. You know..." He had a fair point.

With that, Henry burst back into the room with Adam and Ronan in tow. Ronan had a scowl on his face and Adam looked very disheveled. His hair was mussed and the collar of his sweater was crooked. Blue looked at Ronan's face and Adam's state and raised a questioning eyebrow. Henry was a few steps away from them with his mouth firmly shut and his eyes wide.

"Did we miss something?" Blue asked them. Ronan gave Henry one of his patented death glares, Adam blushed, and Henry vehemently shook his head. Blue cracked a smile.

"I don't even want to know," Gansey said before Blue could make what he assumed would be an inappropriate comment at Adam and Ronan's expense.

"What the fuck is going on?" Ronan asked impatiently.

"Gansey almost fainted," Henry said.

"Gansey has been having visions," Blue said.

"No, guys, I'm fine," Gansey said.

Adam and Ronan exchanged a look very similar to the one Henry and Blue had shared earlier. Gansey was getting fed up with all the looks.

"Tell them what you told me," Blue ordered.

"It's not that big a d-"

"Tell them!"

So Gansey did.

Ronan looked skeptical, Adam looked thoughtful, Henry looked giddy, and Blue looked worried.

"You think this is Cabeswater's effect?" Adam asked the gang.

"Shit," was Ronan's eloquent response.

"It doesn't happen often," Gansey explained. "But when it does, it's just a bit... weird."

"You almost fainted," Henry repeated pointedly.

"I..." Gansey swallowed. "It just took me by surprise. I really am right as day. Scout's honour."

All four of Gansey's friends shared a look.

"Enough with the looks!" he begged. "Seriously. I. Am. Fine."

"We should probably call the witches," Ronan suggested.

"Hey, they're psychics, not witches," Blue corrected indignantly.

"Same thing."

"Is no one listening to me? Am I on mute?" Gansey asked. "I don't need any coddling. I'm fine."

"Maybe we should stay in tonight," Adam suggested.

"Oh, hell no!" Henry protested. "I made reservations at Serendipity 3 for us and I want my gold-laced sundae!" The gang all looked at him: Ronan with disgust, Adam bemused, Blue rolled her eyes at him, and Gansey gleamed with hope.

"I think fresh air and ice cream would do Dick good," Henry added. "Ice cream solves everything, right Three?"

"It's fucking freezing outside," Ronan retorted.

"Then you can order some soup, princess," Henry spat back. Ronan gave Henry the finger. Henry gave Ronan the devil horns.

"Boys, boys," Blue interrupted. "Behave."

"Can we please just have a fun night together? It's been months! Please?" Gansey begged.

The truth they all knew was that denying a request from Gansey was simply impossible. So Ronan and Adam went back to their room to get ready. Henry went into the shared bathroom to touch up his hair. Blue kept a close eye on Gansey as he exchanged a horrific salmon coloured polo for a just as terrible yellow one that he mercifully hid underneath a maroon cardigan. Gansey watched Blue as she changed into a patchwork sweater dress over thick, woolen, striped stockings.

To the average person, both would be considered to have eccentric tastes in fashion. If they had the choice, both would dress the other completely differently. Be that as it may, both loved the other just the way they were. And then of course there was Henry, who burst into the room in a puff of cologne, hair spiked to perfection, wearing an outfit more suitable for a Kpop music video than a trip to a cafe. His black skinny jeans were held up by lime coloured suspenders. His jacket had pink pinstripes. His shoes were actually shined.

"Yes, I know, I'm fabulous," Henry said cheerily as the other two stared at him. He was even sporting a purple bowtie.

"Henry, one of these days your outfits are going to give a poor old lady an aneurysm," Blue said.

"Sorry, all I heard was 'you so hot, I can't keep it in my pants'," Henry shot back.

Blue snorted.

"Admit it, you think the outfit is sexy,"

"Shut it."

Henry casually chasséd up to Blue. He wrapped and arm around her waist and spun her in a circle. Blue laughed as she lost balance and tumbled onto the bed.

"And as for you!" Henry said, pointing accusingly at Gansey. With a flourish he spun on his toe and skipped to his suitcase. After some rummaging, he pulled out a navy newsboy hat and long pale grey scarf and turned to Gansey with a pleased grin. He stood and placed the hat onto Gansey's head at a calculated angle and wrapped the scarf around his neck (completely hiding the shockingly bright yellow collar peeping out beneath his cardigan).

"Masterpiece," Henry beamed.

Gansey looked at Blue for confirmation. She pursed her lips and then gave him a thumbs up.

"All right, let's bounce!"


	3. Adam - Time is circular

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbeta'd. Errors are my own.

Henry did in fact order the $1000 gold flaked sundae, to Adam's horror. Adam could barely look at the damn thing. A thousand dollars was three months rent at St. Agnes. A thousand dollars was return airfare to Virginia to visit Ronan. A thousand dollars was two semesters of brand new text books. A thousand dollars should in no universe be one stupid sundae.

At least Ronan had ordered soup to spite Henry.

"This is a work of fucking art," Henry said proudly as the monstrosity was placed before him. People at surrounding tables were pulling out their camera-phones to take pictures not-so-inconspicuously.

"Is that a golden spoon?" Gansey asked amused.

"You bet. Eighteen carat," Henry answered cheerily, picking the spoon up and examining it under the light. "The official taster for Ben and Jerry's also uses a golden spoon. Gold supposedly has no flavour so it won't interfere with tasting the true essence of the ice cream. Plus, the sundae is served in a pure crystal goblet, like the ones they use in the Vatican."

"What, did you Google all this before we came here?" Blue asked incredulously.

"Damn right I did. If I am going to spend a thousand dollars of my mother's hard earned money on ice cream, it better be worthy of royalty."

_At least he is honest about where the money is coming from_ , Adam thought bitterly.

To Henry's credit, he shared the sundae with everyone. Adam felt extremely uncomfortable consuming a spoonful of dessert worth more than a day of work, but he also had to admit that whatever they had put in that sundae was delicious. Even Ronan couldn't resist a taste.

"If Opal was here, I'd think she'd prefer the napkins," Adam whispered in Ronan's ear, causing Ronan to crack a small smile.

"For you, m'lady," Henry said as he plucked the decorative gold plated sugar flower from his crystal goblet and offered it to Blue.

"Thanks." She held the flower in her hand, spinning it between her fingers. "Um...am I supposed to eat this? Or wear it in my hair?"

"Is it even edible?" Gansey asked.

"Good question." Henry then leaned over and took a big bite out of one the petals directly from Blue's hand. He chewed slowly. "Definitely edible. But not the best tasting part of the ensemble, to be honest."

The flower had 6 petals, so each person at the table was granted one by Blue, with one left over.

"This one is for Noah," Gansey said solemnly, placing the final petal in the centre of the table. "I think he would have gotten a kick out of eating a gold plated flower. May he rest in peace."

The table went silent for a moment, each person holding their petal up in a salute.

"Why do rich people like to eat flowers?" Blue asked after taking a bite of her petal and then immediately spitting it out into her napkin. Adam chuckled.

"Says the girl from a house with cupboards filled with dried flowers," snorted Ronan.

"That's different! They're for tea."

"Yes, poisonous witch brews," grumbled Ronan.

"They are NOT witches!" Blue hissed.

After dinner, they walked through Central Park.  Giant snowflakes were gently drifting down and sticking in their hair, like a scene from a cheesy RomCom. Although this would be the most unconventional RomCom to date as it would feature a polyamorous trio and a gay couple. The thought made Adam grin. Or maybe it was being with his friends again after four long months.

_No, not friends. Family._

He felt Ronan's gloved hand entwine their fingers and he turned his head. Ronan was trying to play it cool, facing straight ahead, with large snowflakes glued to his long eyelashes. Adam nudged Ronan's shoulder so the boy would look at him. Adam was still smiling.

"What?" Ronan asked. His cheeks and nose were red from the cold. It made Ronan look much younger.

"I'm happy we're all here. That's all," he replied with a shrug. Ronan nudged him back, a small grin on his face. Adam was so distracted looking at Ronan, he crashed into Gansey's back.

"What the hell, Gansey?" Adam said, trying not to slip in the slush. Gansey had stopped in front of him suddenly, causing their collision. His eyes looked distant. Henry and Blue were only two steps in front of him and hadn't yet noticed he wasn't moving.

"Gansey?" Adam asked again, reaching a hand to touch his shoulder. Gansey turned to look at Adam, his face still.

"I was just thinking," Gansey spoke in a trembling voice, "about home. Virginia," he clarified. It was at this point Blue and Henry had noticed Gansey was no longer with them and turned around to listen. "Cabeswater," Gansey whispered. "I was thinking about Cabeswater. And then I thought what it would be like. If we fixed it. If Ronan brought it back." He turned to Ronan, his eyes hungry. "It would be different. You would make it so much more beautiful now."

Gansey glanced at Adam. Adam could sense Gansey's unspoken words.

Everything Ronan pulled from his dreams was a piece of himself. The Night Horrors were his self-hatred come to life. Matthew was his innocence and wonder. Chainsaw was his need to be nurtured and freed.

Ronan was no longer the same boy he used to be two years ago. He no longer hated himself. He no longer felt strange, confused, and alone. Today's Ronan had purpose and peace. He had made up with Declan, he had shed his tears over the loss of his parents, he had mourned Noah and Kavinsky in his own way. He had Adam and Opal. He had love. Which meant if Ronan was to pull a magical forest from his head, it wouldn't be the same Cabeswater he had created years ago. That Cabeswater was filled with dark corners and uncertainties; a mirror to Ronan's soul. The new one would be glorious beyond words.

Adam's fingers tightened in Ronan's.

"You will make it," Gansey said. It came out almost like a request or question, but not quite. His words lingered under everyone's skin, reverberating with inevitability. Adam shivered. He could feel the magic there. That was Gansey's king voice, the voice that could not be ignored. Adam could feel Ronan's back straighten. Ronan would oblige his king.

"Are you sure?" Ronan asked.

"There is no choice." Gansey's voice sounded haunted. "It has happened. Will happen. Cabeswater will return. And we will walks its paths again."

Blue clutched Gansey's arm at that moment, her face anxious. Gansey blinked and looked down at her, a shy smile on his face.

"I think there is more to find, don't you?" he asked her, sounding more like himself.

"Gansey, your voice..." Blue sounded worried. Everyone had heard it. The King's voice. But with something else there. Something ancient.

"Cabeswater," Adam murmured. Gansey's gaze fell upon him. "Was that Cabeswater talking?" he asked.

Gansey furrowed his brow and rubbed his thumb against his bottom lip.

"No. No, just me," he replied. He looked to Adam, pleading in his eyes. "I know what you're thinking. I'm not possessed. I'm me. That was me. But I feel... I am..." Gansey trailed off. He swallowed and looked to Blue. Then looked to Henry.

"Something more," Henry said. Out of everyone, Henry appeared the most calm. "I can't wait to see it." Henry looked to Ronan, his eyes shining. "You have a lot of work ahead of you. We can't disappoint our King, now can we?"

Adam did not like where this was going. He did not think it was wise to encourage this. Whatever this was. Whatever Gansey was becoming.

Henry clapped his hands together, the loud sound startling everybody.

"Enough dillydallying. I was promised Times Square!"

***

Adam was awake. It was 3 a.m.

_The witching hour,_  Adam thought humourlessly.

Ronan was actually asleep for a change, his arm possessively over Adam's waist in the narrow twin bed, snoring ever so softly. Adam had dozed off for about an hour, but now his body was thrumming with nervous energy. He couldn't stop thinking about Gansey. About the way his voice had become so distant. He wondered if Gansey had been changing slowly all this time. He wondered if  he could have helped Gansey if he hadn't been away at school. He wondered if Gansey had been this way all along, and they were only just noticing now. He wondered if they had made a mistake when they had helped Cabeswater bring Gansey back.

Guilt gnawed at him. He slowly extricated himself from Ronan's arm, trying not to disturb him. He pulled on a shirt and slipped on his sneakers and silently crept out of his room. He had a sudden need to scry and cursed himself for leaving Persephone's tarot cards in his dorm room.

Adam made his way to the small common area in the hostel, hoping to find a bowl to use. As he reached the bottom step, he froze. He saw Gansey there, sitting in an old recliner, his face illuminated by the glow of the television. Gansey was alone and the room was dark. His eyes looked distant; he was either absorbed in the show he was watching or somewhere else entirely. Adam feared it was the latter.

Adam approached Gansey and collapsed in the matching recliner next to his. Gansey slowly turned his head to Adam and then offered his fist. Adam knocked their knuckles together. Gansey turned back to the television, and they watched a rerun of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air together in amiable silence for a short while.

When a commercial came on, Gansey muted the television and turned to Adam.

"You look good, Parrish," he said. "You look happy."

Adam felt warmth bloom from his chest.

"I think I am. Happy, that is," he replied, a hint of his Henrietta accent escaping.

"You get your grades yet for the semester?" Gansey asked.

Adam nodded. "This morning. Or technically yesterday morning."

"Straight As?"

Adam blushed and nodded again.

"Good man," Gansey said with a smile. "You deserve it."

Adam felt his throat tighten.

"Gansey," Adam said hesitantly. Gansey sighed and rolled his head to Adam.

"If I say I'm fine, will you believe me?" he asked.

"No," Adam replied honestly.

"Too smart for your own good," Gansey grumbled. He rubbed a hand over his face with a groan.

"What's happening to you?" Adam asked.

Gansey swallowed before speaking. "I'm starting to realize that I think things are a certain way because I've experienced them being a certain way before I've actually experienced them in my timeline. I think the way I move through time is changing. Or isn't but has always been this way. Because once I started experiencing time this way, I was able to go back and _always_ experience time this way. It's like this:" and Gansey used his index finger to draw a circle in the air.

The boys stared at each other for a moment.

"Strangely enough, that made sense to me," Adam said impressed. "May I give you my hypothesis?"

Gansey tilted his chin down in acquiescence.

"When I was connected to Cabeswater, I learned a bit about it. When it first tried to communicate with me, it scared me. I had visions of these people, these ghosts. I thought I was being haunted. That was just Cabeswater trying to say hello. I don't think it really understands humans. Because it isn't human. It's a forest. Us humans, we try to see time as linear. But maybe to a forest, time isn't linear. And since it brought you back, it forgot to take into account how a human sees time and instead made you to experience time like it did."

"Strangely enough, that made sense to me too," Gansey echoed with a grin. There was another moment of silence between the friends.

"I'm scared," Gansey whispered. His eyes were staring off into space again. "I don't know if a human brain can physically handle...whatever this is." He made the circle in the air again. "This afternoon, when I relived that moment and realized it... It made me feel so dizzy. It was overwhelming. I mean in retrospect, it doesn't sound like that big of deal. But living through it... It felt like my mind was ripping in two."

"So did you ask Ronan to bring Cabeswater back to try to fix you?" Adam asked. Gansey's eyes widened in shock.

"No. It didn't even occur to me. But when I think of Cabeswater, I see it. The new one. And I know it's been made. I mean will be made. It just _is_. I know logically is hasn't happened yet. But I also know it's there. Or will be." Gansey laughed at himself. "Verb conjugation is getting pretty complicated for me."

Adam leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Even though Cabeswater was gone, and therefore so was his connection with the supernatural, sometimes he could still feel the ley line pulsing near him. Beneath him. In him. Sometimes Adam felt like Cabeswater left a little bit of magic inside him. Or maybe it was wishful thinking.

At that very moment, Adam reached out without reaching, like Persephone had taught him. He opened himself up, leaving his notion of self behind, just like when he was scrying. He wanted to feel something. He wanted answers. He wanted Cabeswater to wrap a vine around his hand to comfort him like it used to.

His eyes shot open as he felt something curl around the back of his wrist. When he looked down, he saw that Gansey had reached over and was covering Adam's wrist with his hand.

"I... Did you..." Adam did not know how to phrase his question.

"It's part of both of us now," Gansey answered.

Adam suddenly felt very afraid and very determined. Determined to protect Gansey. Determined to bring Cabeswater back, better than ever before. Determined to get answers and fix Gansey. No one was going to hurt Gansey or take him away from them again.

Adam nodded to Gansey. Gansey unmuted the TV. They spent another hour watching the Fresh Prince together before going to bed.


	4. Blue - Wild Gansey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sarchengsey smut ahead. You have been warned.  
> Unbeta'd. Errors are my own.

Blue really did have a little bladder. At 4 am she was up the second time that night needing to go to the bathroom.

She looked across the room and saw Henry's silhouette in his bunk, his back towards her under the blankets. She slowly crept down the ladder on the side of her bed and peered at the bunk beneath Henry. The covers were pushed against the wall and the bed was empty.

"Crap," she whispered to herself as she approached Gansey's vacant mattress.

She heard a rustling and looked up. Henry had turned over and was extending an arm over the edge of his bed, surprising Blue with the fact he was awake. In his hand was his cell phone and a video was playing.

Blue reached up to take the phone from him and saw that the video showed Gansey and Adam sitting and talking in front of the lounge TV.

"As if I wouldn't keep an eye on him with the way he's been acting," Henry said in a low voice from above. Blue sighed relieved, nodded appreciatively to Henry, and handed back his phone. Blue had been wondering why she hadn't seen RoboBee for a while. She went to the bathroom.

***

Gansey returned to their room at 5 am. He tried to be as quiet as possible but the door made an obvious click as it shut behind him. He glanced up to Blue's bed to see if he had disturbed her and found it empty. When he shifted his gaze to Henry's bed, he saw the two of them dozing, heads leaned into each other on Henry's pillow.

Gansey smiled and climbed into his bed beneath them.

"Join us?" came Blue's quiet voice from above. Gansey froze with one knee on his mattress. He stepped back and saw Blue hadn't moved, but her eyes were open looking down at him.

"Did I wake you?" he whispered apologetically. Blue shook her head a fraction of an inch. Henry's eyes were still shut and he was breathing slowly with his lips slightly parted.

"I don't think these beds will accommodate three," Gansey added.

Blue frowned at him and simply waited. Gansey shook his head but started climbing up the ladder to the top bunk.

He pulled his body over the edge and lay on his side facing Blue who was now sandwiched between him and Henry's sleeping body.

Blue lifted a hand and brushed her fingers through Gansey's hair once before cupping his face and brushing a thumb over his cheek. Gansey took Blue's wrist and brought it to his lips, placing a light kiss there.

Blue scooted closer to Gansey, flushing their bodies together, and brought her lips to his.

Kissing Gansey was one of life's greatest blessings for Blue. Especially after spending most of hers thinking she'd never get to kiss anyone. Blue loved kissing Gansey because it was proof she was part of the human race. She could have a true love. She could have a future. She could be so much more than just the non-psychic in a house of psychics, barely above the poverty line, and a barely above average student. Having Gansey, who could rule the world if he wanted to, gave her more self-worth than she could describe.

The feminist in Blue hated the idea of finding affirmation based on a relationship, but it wasn't having a boyfriend (or two) that made her happy. It was having love from people who were worth admiring, people who weren't the typical, self-absorbed, "one percent" she expected from Aglionby alumni. And they were definitely not the ambitionless, crude, blue collars she went to high school with. Blue had found a circle of friends that were filled with magic and wonder and soul. They made Blue feel whole.

Feeling a fire ignite in her belly, Blue deepened the kiss. She parted her lips slightly and coaxed Gansey's tongue into her mouth. She could feel Gansey's heart rate pick up through their touching bodies. Despite the hour, Blue suddenly felt very very awake.

She had learned early on that Gansey and Henry were two very different lovers. Henry approached sex like he approached life: with unbridled exuberance, playfulness, and a little rebellion.

Gansey as a lover was more complicated, because there were two sides to Gansey. The first was the side to Gansey everyone knew well; the people pleaser, the aristocrat, the campaign face, the always-trying-to-do-the-right-thing Gansey. He was a tender and serious lover, patient and selfless. And always so grateful.

But once in a while the other Gansey would come out. This was Blue's favourite Gansey. This was the Wild Gansey, a primal creature freed of inhibitions and expectations. This was the Gansey that secretly whisked her away in the middle of the night so she could learn how to drive the Pig. This was the Gansey that let himself press their cheeks together and breathe each other's air when they were hiding their relationship from Adam and still tormented by Blue's curse. This was the Gansey that went to Kavinsky's party and didn't try to stop the illicit activities, but joined them instead. This Gansey was unpredictable, honest, and raw. This Gansey was suddenly staring at Blue through lidded eyes.

Blue felt a thrill pulse in her veins. When Wild Gansey came out to play, anything could happen.

A tired groan came from behind Blue causing her to break eye contact with Gansey. Henry was rolling onto his side to face them, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"If you guys are going to wake me up at this god forsaken hour to swap saliva, the least you could do is give me a BJ," he joked.

Wild Gansey grinned hungrily at Blue before he moved. He climbed over Blue's body and shoved Henry's shoulder to push him back onto his back. Before Henry could protest, Gansey had Henry locked between his thighs, straddling him with his hands pinning down Henry's shoulders. Blue suppressed a giggle.

"Well then, _Dick_ ," and Henry drawled out the name to ensure the double entendre was clear, challenge in his eyes, "what's on the menu?"

"I believe you ordered a blow job," Gansey purred. Blue felt her pulse quicken. Gansey's body, leaning over Henry, was tightly wound with erratic energy. She didn't know where this mood in Gansey had come from, but she was eager to see how events would unfold.

Henry smiled wickedly at Gansey, fully awake now. "Well, get on with it, then."

Gansey threw his head back and laughed. He wasn't even trying to be quiet anymore despite the ridiculous hour, despite knowing their neighbours were Ronan and Adam. He was unleashed. It was glorious.

Gansey's fingers slid off Henry's shoulders and moved slowly down his chest until they reached the elastic hem of his boxers. His fingers dipped slowly beneath the waistband, hooking around it and then dragging the cloth down. Henry lifted his hips to give Gansey access and Gansey pulled Henry's underwear to just above his knees, letting his half hard cock spring free.

Gansey took a second to lock his gaze with Henry, licked his lips in anticipation, before bowing his head down.

Blue watched Gansey's lips take in the head of Henry's penis while his hand grabbed the base of the shaft.

Blue watched Henry bite his lower lip to stifle a moan and twist his fingers in the sheets.

Blue watched Gansey's head dip lower, his tongue rolling up the side and circling the frenulum.

Blue watched it all with ravenous, wide eyes, her heartbeat thrumming in her ears, adrenaline making her dizzy.

Gansey used one hand to keep his balance and pin Henry's hips to the bed. He used the other to pump Henry all while his mouth took in as much of Henry as he could manage without gagging, his lips and tongue working together to bring Henry to climax.

Blue could remember the first time Gansey had gone down on Henry. It was probably the first time Gansey had touched another man's penis. He had been so nervous but eager to get it right. Henry had told Gansey it wasn't necessary, he didn't need to rush things, it was fine if he just wanted to stick to kissing and touching. But Gansey was a man composed of pure determination and desperate need oozing from every pore, despite his insecurities. So Henry had changed tactics and made terrible jokes to ease the tension and cooed words of encouragement to calm Gansey's nerves.

Blue remembered how they had held each other afterwards, Henry kissing every inch of Gansey's face whispering "thank you" over and over again. It hadn't been that long ago, yet it was long enough for Gansey to have found his confidence. He now could play Henry's body like a well practiced instrument. That night, it didn't take long for Henry to gasp, "Gansey," in warning.

Gansey pulled his mouth off of Henry and kept his hand pumping as he crawled up his body and smashed his lips to Henry's. Blue saw the shudder spread through Henry's body as he climaxed, his shout muffled by Gansey's rough kiss, his seed smearing onto both of their t-shirts.

Gansey pulled away from Henry's lips to let the man catch his breath. Henry's knuckles were white, still holding onto the sheets for dear life. Gansey's lips were red and swollen, and he smiled fondly down at Henry before he shucked off his t-shirt and used it to clean them up. When he was finished, he helped pull Henry's boxers back up around his waist.

Henry's satiated gaze drank in Gansey's broad swimmer's shoulders and toned chest, although he did not look like he was going to move any time soon.

"Do I at least get a tip?" Gansey teased, his eyes glancing meaningfully down to his own cock straining in his pajama pants.

Blue heard the buzz of RoboBee before she saw it. It brushed passed her cheek and hovered in front of Gansey's face, it's tiny metal limbs holding a wrapped condom.

Gansey laughed and held his hand out under the insect. It dropped the condom into his waiting palm before buzzing back over the edge of the bed and disappearing.

"I don't think that was the use Niall Lynch intended when he gave RoboBee to you," Gansey said with a smirk.

Henry pushed himself up into a sitting position, sweat gleaming on his forehead, his normally perfectly coiffed hair sticking out at all angles. He looked pleasantly debauched.

"I would argue this still falls under making sure the kids stay safe," Henry rebutted, palming Gansey's erection through his pants. Gansey hummed his assent, whether to Henry's point or touch was yet to be determined.

Blue couldn't take it any longer. The thrum in her body was about to explode. She needed release. She needed to be touched.

Blue wrapped her arms around Henry from behind in a hug and whispered into his ear, "it's my turn."

Henry turned his head to kiss Blue's mouth, removing his hand from Gansey.

"As you wish, Bluebird."

Henry shifted away from Gansey, pressing his body up against the wall of the bed to leave the other two as much room as possible (which was not very much). He had no intention to sleep just yet, but every intention to watch whatever they were about to do.

Blue unceremoniously pulled her shirt over her head and kicked off her sweatpants and underwear. Gansey took a long moment to appreciate her naked body, his cock straining even more so in his pants as his eyes roamed over her from head to toe. Blue still had trouble accepting such a covetous gaze from a boy like Gansey, who could have modeled for Michelangelo.

"Undress and put that on," Blue ordered, leaning back on the bed and spreading her legs invitingly.

Gansey obliged, kicking his pajama bottoms off the bed and enthusiastically tearing the condom wrapper open. He rolled it onto himself and Blue reached out to him. He fell into her arms, his teeth immediately nipping the skin on her neck.

Pain and pleasure coursed through her, making her smile. She reached down between Gansey's legs while his mouth worked her neck raw and positioned him to enter her.

He thrusted into her ruthlessly. He was not going to be holding back tonight. Blue sucked in air as he filled her, waves of pleasure making her light headed. It was physical, but it also wasn't. Nothing thrilled her more than Gansey in this state: feral, selfish, out of control. He grunted as he started a deep, powerful rhythm with his hips.

Henry watched them lazily from the side, a flush creeping down his neck, his breathing heavy but slow.

Blue's orgasm came quickly; honestly, she had already been on the brink after the show the boys had put on. Her climax was a pulsing that made her moan loudly and grip Gansey's back hard enough to bruise. But Gansey was far from finished.

Gansey pulled out as Blue lay on the bed panting.

"Turn around," Gansey instructed, his voice aching with desire. It was not the other voice. She could have refused if she had wanted to. But in no universe would she have wanted to.

She turned for him, getting on her hands and knees.

He re-entered her and moved a little more slowly this time, his fingers lightly running down her back, around her waist, up her front to pass over her breasts. The gentle tickling sensation gave her goosebumps. All her nerve endings were on fire. He was being so unpredictable.

"Henry," Gansey said without interrupting his rhythm. Henry's gaze flicked from Blue's body to Gansey's face. A message passed between the two boys in that silent language they seemed to have cultivated. Henry moved away from the wall and sat on his knees closer to Gansey. Blue looked over her shoulder to see what he was doing.

Henry placed his index finger into his mouth and thoroughly covered it in his saliva before his arm disappeared around Gansey's back side. A second later, Blue saw and felt Gansey arch into Henry's touch, making him push hard into her, a hiss escaping from between his teeth. Blue couldn't see Henry's hand from her angle, but she could see the muscles in his arm working.

"Yes," Gansey panted, his eyes slamming shut. He thrusted a few more times into Blue before he came with a quiet groan, his whole body falling over Blue's back. She felt him shaking both within and without her and it was enough to set off another of her own orgasms.

They collapsed onto their stomachs together, Gansey pressing his face in between her shoulder blades. From the corner of Blue's eye, she saw Henry wipe his finger on the comforter and move to lie down on the other side of her, his back to the wall again so he could face them. Gansey and Blue were slick with sweat. She could feel Gansey's breath puff against the exposed skin on her back. She felt Gansey move behind her and heard the snap of the condom being removed. Gansey tossed it over the side of the bed to be properly disposed of later.

The three of them lay there in the darkness for a few minutes, allowing their brains to reboot.

"Well," Henry broke the silence first, a playful smile on his lips. "Not a bad way to spend 5 am."

Blue returned his smile. She could feel Gansey chuckling behind her.

"Get some sleep," Gansey said. It appeared that Wild Gansey was gone and responsible Gansey was back in control. Blue almost felt a pang of loss, but she knew all facets of Gansey were simply one in the same. Wild Gansey would be back.

"Hey, you're the one that woke us up at this ungodly hour," Henry accused. He wasn't entirely wrong.

"And I'm also the one who just efficiently fucked both your brains out," was Gansey's just as accurate response. Gansey's crude language told Blue that Wild Gansey wasn't quite done yet. It made her smile.

"Both of you shut up and go to sleep," she mumbled contentedly.

They did as she said and slept like the dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic was initially conceived to be my sorry attempt at Sarchengsey smut, but then plot happened and smut went to the back burner. I also like writing about Gansey; I think there is a hidden dark side to his character that I wanted to explore (and may explore further in a very different way... stay tooned to find out mwahahahaha).
> 
> There isn't a lot of Sarchengsey smut out there: not sure if it's because writing threesomes is daunting (cuz it is), or because the fandom is too obsessed with Pynch to care. Anyway, I hope it was okay...


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